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Portland State University Featured in Guide to Sustainable Business Programs

Author: Graduate Business Programs

Posted: August 15, 2013

Net Impact, a leading nonprofit that inspires a new generation to work for a sustainable future, released its 2013 edition of Business as UNusual: The Student Guide to Graduate Programs today. The annual guide gives an inside look at MBA programs’ social and environmental curriculum, student activities, and career services, and includes a profile on Portland State University (PSU).

First published in 2006, Business as UNusual is the only publication of its kind that highlights student perspectives on over 100 business schools at the forefront of social and environmental innovation.Student ratings of PSU reveal 3 top strengths in areas of leadership, innovation and sustainability.

“More than 3,300 graduate students shared their perspectives on their schools in this year’s Business as UNusual Guide, and it’s clear that addressing social and environmental themes have become student ‘must-haves’ in competitive MBA curricula,“ says Liz Maw, CEO of Net Impact.

Major conclusions from Business as Unusual 2013 include:

Social and environmental themes are core priorities. With 85% of polled students reporting they care about addressing these themes while in graduate school, sustainability is now a “must-have.” Respondents overwhelmingly support integrating sustainability into their careers with 83% reporting they would take a 15% pay cut to work for an organization whose values match their own. Job seekers are also optimistic that this is possible, with 88% expressing that companies are better at integrating sustainability into their business compared to 5 years ago.

MBA programs are aiming to meet student demand. According to the survey, students are driving change at a rapid rate. Over the past year alone, 50 of the schools in our guide reported adding and adjusting curriculum to incorporate new impact courses, certificates, experiential learning opportunities, and collaborations across graduate programs in their universities in response to student demands.

Career and experiential learning is a critical MBA need. So what can MBA programs do better? When asked what schools could improve, nearly one-third of the group asked for more experiential learning opportunities and greater impact career support.

“We’re proud to be part of this movement of emerging leaders,” says Maw. “Students who are passionate about making an impact are demanding a new kind of education, one that allows them to use their career within and beyond business to tackle the toughest social and environmental problems of our time.”